Talent2 names IBM global HR chief to top role

Recruitment and human resources group Talent2 has appointed a global managing director of human resources management services as it presses on with its Asian expansion strategy.

Appointed to the new role is Mary Sue Rogers, who previously headed IBM’s global HR and process services business.

Talent2 founder and chairman Andrew Banks said Ms Roger’s experience was his group’s gain. IBM’s global process services business was considered the world leader in HR outsourcing, he said.

“With her level of expertise and wealth of experience in international organisations, this appointment further strengthens Talent2’s global leadership team,” Mr Banks said.

Ms Rogers has worked in HR for over 25 years.

Previously she worked at Coopers & Lybrand, which merged with Price Waterhouse to become PwC in 1998. PwC’s consulting division was absorbed by IBM in 2002 and Ms Rogers later helped establish the HR shared services centre for Coopers & Lybrand Europe – ultimately holding the role of global leader of HR, learning and recruitment, and recruitment outsourcing.

Ms Rogers will work closely with Andrew Grant, global managing director of recruitment managed services, to expand Talent2’s shared services platform. She will travel extensively in the Asia-Pacific region.

At its full year results in August, Talent2 posted a 52 per cent increase in earnings, buoyed by its expansion in overseas markets, and announced that it expected to generate around three-quarters of its revenue from Asia by 2015.

Speaking at the results briefing, Mr Banks said the group’s biggest advantage was that it could offer a range of human resources and recruitment services, unlike many others in the region.

The biggest opportunity for Talent2 in Asia, Mr Banks said, was providing HR outsourcing services. “There are clients that want good people on their team and are prepared to pay for a service like us. In Australia, it’s more competing on service and price,” he said. The appointment of Ms Rogers underpins this strategy.

Speaking at Talent2’s annual general meeting in October, group chairman Ken Allen said Asia continued to be a core focus for the group as multinational companies from the US and Europe look for growth outside their home markets.

“As these organisations move out of their home markets they look to partner with regional players that can remove the HR complexities of operating in a multi-geographic, multi-language and multi-currency environment,” he said.

“Talent2 is fast gaining the reputation as being that partner.”

Outsourcing analysis group Nelson Hall has named Talent2 as the No. 1 provider of HR business process outsourcing services in Asia.

Mr Banks has previously said the group aimed to generate around $1 billion in revenue, with the majority from China, Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaysia, Taiwan and Thailand.

The group derives 68 per cent of its revenue from Australia and New Zealand, of which Asian grew 73 per cent during the year to 19 per cent of the total.